Ephram: Interupted
by lizzbe78
Summary: Ephram finds out something has been going on with Madison and his father, but before he can get to the truth there's a serious accident. Will he survive? This is my first fic, so you'll just have to see what you think. NOW COMPLETE.
1. Default Chapter

Ephram sat on the bed listening to his iPod. Outside the rain was pouring, smashing against the window in it's own personal vendetta against the world. Ephram gazed at it, feeling his own anger abate as though it was the rain hammering against the glass, letting out his frustrations.

That morning Ephram had caused yet another row with his father, the Infamous Dr. Brown, as Ephram liked to refer to him. The anger and frustration that had been welling inside of him for weeks now had finally erupted. Everything had been going so well, he had his audition for Julliard and his relationship with girlfriend Amy was finally back on track and then, like a bolt from the blue everything had been twisted upside down.

Ephram had received an email from his ex-girlfriend, Madison. He had messaged her months ago, trying to find out where she had gone during his eight week absence from Everwood over the previous summer. She had finally responded saying that she thought it was best if Ephram did not contact her again 'for the sake of _all _concerned'. Madison had not revealed where she had gone, but had given enough of a clue to reveal that his father was involved. Had said something or done something that had made Madison feel that she had no choice but to leave Everwood.

The fight that ensued had been one of their worst ever.

"What kind of person thinks that they have the right to make someone leave a place?" Ephram had hollered at his father.

"What could she possibly have done to make you WANT to do THAT?"

Andy had remained seated at the table, head in his hands seeming to ponder his answer carefully. In the end he seemed to find no answer that could satisfy his raging son.

"Some things Ephram, some things you simply could not understand until you become a father."

The irony of his own words were not lost on Andy. He was emotionally exhausted from months of keeping the truth of his actions regarding Madison's pregnancy from his son, and it seemed, finally, Madison's rightful anger regarding the way the Dr, a man whom she had trusted implicitly, had treated her had spilled over in her communication with Ephram.

"What? WHAT, wouldn't I understand? I don't know how ANYONE could possibly EVER understand why you do what you do? Do YOU even understand it understand it Dad?" Ephram had shouted.

Delia had appeared at this point around the corner.

"Why are you fighting again? Why do you always have to fight?" she had cried.

Ephram had spun around, but before storming out had offered one parting shot.

"Don't worry Delia, I'm going now. But why don't you ask YOUR father what he did that made Madison leave? Maybe he's got an answer for YOU…" and with that he had turned on his heel and stormed up the stairs.

Delia had looked at her father with big eyes; "You made Madison go, Dad? Why would you make Madison go?"

Looking at his daughter, it had all become too much for Andy and he had buried his arms in his hands and asked her to go next door to Nina's while he tried to sort this out.

Sitting downstairs now, he looked up at the ceiling, wondering what his son was thinking and how now, the truth had to come out, Ephram would be able to bear ever to look at him again, let alone forgive him.


	2. Chapter 2

The walls were closing in on Ephram, and he knew that he had to get out. He was confused by his anger. He was in love with Amy, and she with him and yet this felt entirely separate. Yet again he could not believe the lack of importance that his father placed on his life and the lives of those that were and had been important to him. He could not believe that for whatever bizarre reason his father had made Madison feel that she had to leave town. There was no sensible explanation. His head spinning he grabbed his keys and headed for the door. His father called his name as he walked out but he ignored him.

Ephram drove around town in a daze. He debated going to collect Amy and doing something to take his mind off the row but felt that it would not be fair to her. He wouldn't be able to concentrate and Ephram felt almost like it would be unfaithful to her to have Amy sitting in the car while his head was so full of Madison and what had gone wrong.

Andy sat on the sofa his head full of what to say to his son when he returned. If he returned. The thought made Andy's blood run cold. He had only acted in what he believed were the best interests of his son. He had to do that. He had to do all that he could to protect his children. Every fibre of his being told him so. And now, because of it, Andy felt as though he was losing his child all over again. After everything that they had been through over the past three years. How far they had all come together as a family. It was so nearly right. The only thing missing was the one person that they could never replace. Julia was gone forever, but with her passing Andy had learned what was truly important in his life and that was his family.

Andy was roused from sleep on the sofa by a hammering on the door. He had dozed off fitfully waiting for Ephram to return. Nina had agreed to keep Delia for the night so that the two could batter out their differences if necessary. Staggering up to the door, he pulled it open, dishevelled. Looking at his watch he realised it was gone midnight.

"What? What couldn't wait until morning? Do you have any idea what time it is?" he snapped, opening the door harshly.

Standing on his doorstep was Harold Abbott, his practice partner.

"Harold? What is it? Haven't you heard of the telephone? Or office hours?" Andy muttered. Something in the look on his partner's face quelled Andy into silence.

"Dr, you need to come with me. Is your daughter here?" Dr. Abbott asked solemnly.

"No, she's next door with Nina. She has her for the night. What's the matter Harold?" Andy asked with dread filling his chest.

"You need to come with me. It's Ephram. There's been an accident. You need to come right away."

Andy felt himself slumping against the doorframe and Harold moving forward and supporting him slightly. The dread that had entered his chest seeped into his whole body and he felt himself shake before steadying himself.

"What, Harold? What accident? Where's my son? Is he okay?" Andy heard himself say.

"Andy, come with me now. We need to move quickly."

The next thing Andy knew he was outside of his office on Main Street. There were flashing lights, an ambulance and police, a truck veered across the road, but most horrific of all was the sight of Ephram's car, lying upside down in the street. And then he saw it. A solitary sneaker, lying in the middle of the mayhem that brought it home that his child had been inside that car. It was not some prank. His child had been here. Had been in that mangled wreck of a car. Where was he now?

Harold tried desperately to hold Andy back, but before he could stop him he had hurtled toward the paramedics. Shouting at them, Andy cried out, "where is my son? Where is he?" and then he saw him. Ephram. Bloodied and bruised, lying in the road. Not moving or responding. And time stood still. Andy's heart stopped. Please God. Please, he thought. Not our child. Not my boy. Please not our boy. It was as though Julia was beside him, pleading for their child's life with him. And then in a rush of sound he heard a lone voice. "I have a rhythm. Get him into the ambulance." Aware of nothing else, he hurried forward and was ushered into the ambulance with his son.

The ride to the hospital was the longest of Andy's life. He sat by Ephram, barely talking out loud. Just enough so that he thought his son could hear him.

"I am so sorry Ephram. I have made so many terrible mistakes when it comes to the well being of this family. And look what it has brought us. Nothing but heartache and pain. Just look at you son. What happened to you? What happened tonight? Please don't leave me. Please don't leave your sister and me alone. We'll only be half of who we were without you."

If Ephram could have answered his father at that moment, he would have told of anger building up inside of him and driving blindly through the streets of Everwood. A flash of headlights in his eyes and then sound of brakes, and metal on metal and the nothingness that followed. But Ephram could not. Instead Ephram hung somewhere in the void between life and death, unaware of his surroundings and all alone.


	3. Chapter 3

Sitting in the hospital, waiting for news was killing Andy. He now knew the despair that ate away at the families of his patients while they waited helplessly for news of their loved ones. He was distracted from his reverie by Harold and Amy hurrying into the Emergency Room.

Amy looked absolutely terrified. She rushed over to him and immediately began asking questions.

"Is he okay, Dr. Brown? Do you know what's going on? What happened? Do you know anything Dr. Brown, do you know anything?" she quick-fired at him, a look of utter terror on her face.

Andy felt for her, he truly did. But he had no news. All he could do was look at her with sad eyes and shake his head.

"There was a car accident Amy. That's all I know. He's in surgery now. I have no news. I'm sorry I can't tell you anything more." Andy rubbed his temples between his fingers, trying to make the pain go away.

Amy felt complete and utter terror coursing through her body. She could not believe that this was happening again. Not after Colin and not to someone else who meant more than anything in the world to her. The look on her father's face when he had told her had been one of complete concern. For her; for Ephram; for the effect that this would have on both their lives. Now Amy was here in the hospital again. Waiting again, for news that could tear her apart. A strangled sob escaped her. Her father was behind her in a second, guiding her to a seat.

"I'll go and get us coffee" Harold ventured, before heading toward the vending machines.

They sat there, the two of them in silence, in the starchy white and bright hospital light, with life and death rushing around them, both complete detached from it all. It was only when Amy turned to look at Dr. Brown and saw him, barely there, that she realised he too had experienced this before. He too had lost another person he had loved. And now their shared grief was about to link them inexplicably together.

It was five am when the surgeon finally came to the drained and exhausted group. He motioned for Andy to step aside with him. The look on the surgeon's face told Andy that there was no good news here. He braced himself, as though for impact, to hear what the surgeon had to say. For the first second relief spread through his tired body. Ephram had made it through the surgery. But worse was to come… There was serious doubt as to whether Andy's son would make it through the next 24 hours. The surgeon had done all that was humanly possible to help Ephram but his injuries were severe and extensive.

Does being alive ever just exhaust you? Do you sit, with energy coursing through your veins, no way to channel it and feel the sheer power of the electricity running through you; draining your very soul? That was how Andy felt at that moment. Wanting to do anything to help his son, but knowing that whatever he did, no matter what force he exerted Ephram would still die. He'd die and there was nothing anyone could do about it. All the lives that Andrew Brown had saved and he could do NOTHING to help his son. A person that meant more than anything to him in the world and he was powerless to help when he needed him most. The pain in Andy's heart was unbearable and he turned to the wall, pushed forward against it with all his might and sank to his knees, his body shaking, racked with heart-wrenching sobs.

Not being able to turn to face the others, still sitting anxiously down the hall Andy took a deep breath and brought himself up to full height. Turning back to the surgeon he asked to be taken to his son. Nodding apologetically the surgeon guided Andy down the hall and into an elevator.

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Ephram was in Intensive Care. When Andy walked into the room, well, almost crept really, he thought that he had known pain. In losing Julia, in the ordeal of being here in this hospital tonight; but seeing his son lying in front of him, unresponsive and being kept alive by machinery that would not be Ephram's saviour but his end, Andy's heart exploded in a kind of agony he was sure would be the end of him. But there would be worse to come.

Moving over to be beside his son, Andy took a seat at his child's bed side. Mustering all of his energy he knew what he had to do. He had to tell his son the truth, before it was too late, if there was any chance that Ephram would know, then he had to know how sorry Andy was for all of the pain that had been caused. For the fact that Ephram was here, now, his life stolen away because of something that he, Andy, had allowed to happen. Taking a deep breath he began to speak.

"Hey there Buddy. You gave me a real scare tonight. I thought that I was never going to see you again. I was there thinking that I was going to have to let out your room and all sorts of things…." Andy continued to breathe deeply.

"You know, this is the quietest that it has been between us in years. I'm sorry for that, I truly am. I want you to be standing in my face, shouting and hollering the odds at me, telling me it's your life and I shouldn't be interfering in it. And you know what baby? You'd be absolutely right. I shouldn't have ever interfered in your life. Not like this. Look what's happened. This is where my interfering has brought us and I think that you could have handled things so much better than I have ever been able to." Tears were rolling down Andy's face now.

"The thing is; and you have a right to know this, now more than ever; the reason that I asked Madison to leave was that she was pregnant. She was pregnant with your child. And I wanted to protect you. After everything that we, you, have been through over the last few years I wanted to protect you, because you are MY child. I wanted you to have the life that you were supposed to have. So I told Madison that I would take care of her and the baby no matter what decision she made and I asked her to leave. It was stupid and it was wrong and all I ever wanted was the best for you." It all came out of Andy in a rush of breath, with the air of a man trying to get the worst over and done with, putting his actions into words. He sucked in his breath again and taking Ephram's limp hand in his own, he continued.

"But see, see where trying to protect you has brought us. You don't get to live the life you were supposed to have. And your sister and I don't get to live in a world with you with us, like we were supposed to. But then life stopped being fair a long time ago, didn't it? We were supposed to be here with your mother. And I wish that we could have been all together, here in Everwood in the way that we have been for the last few years as opposed to living separate lives in separate worlds in New York. But that's not the way it gets to be and I'm so, so sorry."

Andy looked at Ephram hard, studying his limp, pale form for any glimmer of a response, not daring to hope and glad that he had not for all hope would have been dashed. Ephram remained motionless on the bed, the ventilator pumping oxygen into his lungs, pushing and releasing with a slow hiss. It was the only sound in the room other than Andy's laboured breathing. He knew what he had to do now. Something was pushing him on. The urge to do the right thing for his son now had never been more overwhelming. He had to gather the strength and he must.

"Baby? Ephram? I have to say something to you now and it's going to tear every fibre of my being to shreds. You know I told you a couple of years ago that losing your mother had been the worst thing that I thought I could imagine? Well now that worst thing is about to happen. I'm going to lose you too. But I'm not going to screw that up for you. I need to be strong now. For you. For Delia. For your mother. I've never been able to make you understand just how much I love you. No matter how hard I have tried, I just never seem to have been able to communicate that to you. So I have to tell you again and hope that you understand now. Because I really need you to know."

Silent tears poured down Andy's face and he gripped Ephram's hand to him tightly causing purple welts to appear across his knuckles.

"I'm going to do something I never imagined I would have to do now Ephram. I have to say goodbye to you. There are so many things that I have to do for you now, and I promise that I will be here with you again but in case you slip away I have to say goodbye to you now. Because I'm scared that I'll step away from you and you'll go in that second I'm not looking and I don't think that I could cope if I had not told you what you needed to know. I love you Ephram. Be safe. Be happy. Goodbye…"

Wiping the tears from his face with his sleeve, Andy let go of Ephram's hand and placed it gently back by his side. The boy looked peaceful almost, despite the welts down the side of his face, the dried blood caked around the stitches protruding from his bandaged head. Leaning forward he kissed him gently and stood up from the bed. What had to happen next was going to be hard, terribly hard. With one last glance at his lost son, Andy quietly left the room.

Andy well remembered how Amy had taken the news that Colin had died on the operating table. He had been there, had delivered that terrible blow to his friends and family. And he was surprised now. Surprised at the strength Amy was showing. Harold standing beside her, supporting his daughter, who stood straight and poised as Andy delivered the blow. But then he saw her eyes. He had been carefully avoiding looking into Amy's eyes as he spoke, but when he finally did he saw that their normal brown had dilated into dark pools. They were like black wells, rippling with emotion.

"Can I see him Dr. Brown? I need to say goodbye. I never… I didn't… I need to say goodbye." Amy's voice trembled with suppressed emotion. Her father was worried. Terrified that what Ephram had given his daughter back over the last year had suddenly been pulled away from her. And his heart was breaking for her. But somehow Andy sensed that Amy was stronger than that now.

"S – Sure. Harold, he's in Intensive Care. I need to get Delia here. You just go on up." Andy reached out and touched Amy gently on the arm. "Sweetheart. You know he loved you. He loved you from the first moment he saw you. I remember him telling me."

Amy looked at the man in front of her, who despite the fact that he was about to lose his son had just given her something to cling to and smiled vaguely.

"I'd like to be able to say the same. Oh, I liked him, sure. But love. Love snuck up on me when I least expected it. That's the best way I think. So that it catches you off guard and you become totally immersed. I love Ephram through to the very core of me. Thank you, Dr Brown."


	4. Chapter 4

It was exhaustion that drove Andy through the next couple of hours. Through Amy saying her tearful goodbyes and the pain of telling Delia that her big brother would not be coming home again. As Ephram's life ebbed away Dr. Andy Brown did the best he could to comfort his heartbroken daughter and his son's shattered girlfriend.

It was just before dusk that Andy was alone with his son again. The medical team had taken Ephram off the ventilator an hour ago, and he was still breathing, as they had known he would. In the deepest recess of his mind he had hoped that this meant that they had been wrong, that Ephram was a fighter and that he would make it through this. But he had seen the charts and the scans and he knew that no matter how hard Ephram fought this was a battle that he could just not win.

Sitting next to his son, holding his hand a feeling of peace settled over the room. As the sun set over Denver something stirred and as Andy looked at his son, Ephram opened his grey eyes and gasped. Andy looked at him with an emotion bordering on disbelief.

Ephram, who all the while had been lying unconscious had sensed the presence of his family and his girlfriend, and felt the grief in the room, knew that his time was coming to an end. He had sensed the love coming from his father and in his state of catatonia had somehow understood, didn't have it left in him to feel anger anymore and somehow knew that this was not the time. He had battled and struggled to get here, and now he had finally achieved it. Struggling to get the words out he gasped. Looking his father dead in the eye he found the breath to speak.

"Dad, tell Amy I love her. Tell Delia I love her. Dad, I…" but there was no more.

Looking at his son in terror, Andy saw his eyes closing again.

"No, Ephram, NO! What did you want to say, what were you going to say to me? _Ephram please!_" Andy cried.

And then he was gone. As the last golden rays of Colorado light filled the room, they reached out and enveloped Ephram. From the corner of his eye, as a pain so sharp and intense filled his body that he thought his breath would stop, Andy thought for a second that he caught a glimpse of his wife. But that could not be. All air seemed to suck out of the room as the medical team ran in and it was over. Ephram was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

The following few days passed in a blur. There was so much for Andy to think about and organise that he did not have a second to stop and think. It was only when night fell and he was alone in the darkness of his room that his mind began to unravel and take him to a place that he did not want to be. A place where his nightmares of the suffering his child had endured and once again his wife and where they were now took him over and made him want to scream out in angst. The only thing that stopped him was knowing that his daughter was just down the hall and that she needed him to be strong as Andy was the only family Delia had left. Andy did not know how he could believe in anything like God anymore. Not after all that he had endured. Not when all he had tried to do in goodness for his family and for his son had resulted in almost everything he loved being destroyed.

The day of Ephram's funeral dawned, clear and crisp. The Rocky mountain air moved through the streets of Everwood sharp and biting. The way that you know when you take a breath of it that you are truly alive.

Andy found himself unaware of the people who surrounded him at the church. He held onto Delia's hand and led her to a seat. The words that were spoken seemed innocuous to him. And when it came time for him to speak, Andy found it difficult to propel himself forward, but Nina, sensing that he needed support stepped up to the podium with him. Looking at the people who had gathered to say their goodbyes to his son, Andy took a deep breath and began to speak.

"I'd like to thank everyone for coming here today. Those I know, those I don't, for all of you have touched the life of my son, Delia's brother, Ephram in some way, and for that I thank you because you helped to make him the person that he was and that person was pretty damn neat.

Ephram was a person who embodied such passion about the things and the people that he cared about that they took him over entirely. He was smart and talented and funny, he saved his theatrical side for our arguments, but most of all he loved and was loved. Is loved. He loved his sister, he loved his girlfriend and he loved the piano. I can't think of a more fitting way to say goodbye to my child than to give him the opportunity to have his passion shared. To give him that final chance to be remembered in the way that I know he would want to be. Ephram never got to play his final audition for Julliard. But I feel that it should be heard. I feel that if anything or anyone is to play Ephram out, then it should be him…"

Reaching for Nina, Andy stepped back from the podium. Music had begun to fill the church. It was Ephram's final audition tape for Juliard. Beautiful and soulful, the music filled the church. In the pews Amy and Delia had broken down in tears.

Amy sat rooted to her chair as though never wanting the sound to stop. She was with Ephram once again. He filled the air all around her, enveloping her, holding her close. The tears poured down her face and she felt her mother supporting her. Amy did not know how she would ever recover from this.

The ache in her soul created a deep, black chasm within her and to fill it seemed impossible.

Delia clung to the words that her grandfather had given her. He had told her that Ephram was back with their mother and that Julia was once again taking care of him and that they would both be watching over them all now. One day, and yes, it would be a long time from now, but one day, they would all be back together and be a family again. The waiting would hurt a lot and we would never forget them but eventually they would all be together again.

Moving away from the podium and back to his seat with Nina at his side, Andy listened to the music echoing around the church. Ironically, he thought, the acoustics in this place where the best he had ever heard. He could hear Ephram laughing at the sheer thought of it. That tormented him. But not so much as the loss of what his son had wanted to say to him before he had been so cruelly snatched away. What had it been? Had it been forgiveness? Somehow Andy couldn't feel it. He so desperately needed to know. Would his child's last words to him have been of hatred? The sheer idea made Andy's insides turn inside out.

Taking Delia's hand he led them from the church into the sunshine outside. Blinking, he thought he saw a familiar figure, but was sure that he was mistaken.

The cars that took them to the cemetery moved slowly through town. It was a lovely place, at the back of town, set high on the hillside, green grass and trees all around, framed by the mountains of Colorado.

The actual burial proved to be more difficult than the service. So final. So complete. As the casket was lowered Andy felt that his world was closing in on him and that he would never, could never, recover from this day. Grasping Delia to him he took deep breathes to steady himself. Looking away into the distance he saw again the person whom he had seen at the church, and this time he was sure.

Standing well back from the group of mourners, tears pouring down her face, was Madison. Looking up she saw Dr. Brown staring at her and made eye contact, smiled briefly, conveyed her message.

Staring in disbelief Andy saw the young woman, standing, mourning, holding her child to her as though life depended on it Andy felt something that he thought he had lost forever in the instant that Ephram had died. He felt his heart burgeoning with something other than the all encompassing grief that had taken over his soul. He felt hope.

THE END


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